


bunkmates

by freezerjerky



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-03-17 11:38:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18964489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freezerjerky/pseuds/freezerjerky
Summary: “Awesome!” Newt exclaims as he slides into the room after him, letting their shared duffel bag fall to the ground. “I get top bunk.”Hermann sputters for a moment before collecting himself. “This is not what I meant when I told them we’d only need the single room.”Newt turns to him and shrugs noncommittally before looking up at the bunk bed like it’s the coolest thing he’s seen in years.





	bunkmates

**Author's Note:**

> My submission for the Newmann zine - check it out [here!](https://newmannzine.bigcartel.com)
> 
> Find me on tumblr @ pendragoff and twitter @ newtguzzler

It’s late in Anchorage when they arrive at the Shatterdome and Hermann wants nothing more than to wash up and climb into bed and steal as much warmth from Newt as he possibly can. Instead, he’s affronted with the sight of a bunk bed. There's very clearly been a mistake. The request had been for a shared room, true enough, but this was not the intention.

“Awesome!” Newt exclaims as he slides into the room after him, letting their shared duffel bag fall to the ground. “I get top bunk.”

Hermann sputters for a moment before collecting himself. “This is not what I meant when I told them we’d only need the single room.”

Newt turns to him and shrugs noncommittally before looking up at the bunk bed like it’s the coolest thing he’s seen in years. 

“It’s fine, we’re only here for a week,” Newt says, with his foot on the ladder already. It is true that they’re only here for a few days before they’re back off to Hong Kong with their larger bed that has a very nice mattress pad and Hermann’s assortment of comfortable pillows.

“There’s implications when you ask for a single room, don’t you think?” They’re here on loan, as a favor, and Hermann expects to be treated as the favor that he is. After all, they’re both busy men and essential to the cause. It’s pivotal that they’re home as often as possible.

“Mhm.” Newt’s already up the ladder and settling on the bed. “This might be all they have here.”

“If you weren’t so charmed by the novelty of it, you’d be demanding we find someone to scream at about homophobia by now.”

“I’ve never heard a man complain so much about getting his own bed. And this is the same man who gets angry that I kick in my sleep.”

Hermann huffs indignantly in response to that comment. It is true that Newt does kick and sometimes he takes up a bit too much of the bed, or hits Hermann when he throws his arm across the bed. It could, in theory, be nice to have a few nights to sleep by himself again. There’s a strong chance that even if they had been given a shared bed for the week here, it would have been a double bed at best, not a special queen like they have waiting back in Hong Kong.

“I’m used to the kicking,” Hermann retorts as he drags the duffel bag from the ground to his bed. He has to dig through Newt’s shoddy attempts at folding his clothes to pull out his night things, more neatly folded underneath Newt’s pile of long sleeve t-shirts.

Newt hangs his head over the bunk bed, peering cheekily down at him.

“This is like sleepaway camp or something, you know?” Newt asks.

“Boarding school,” Hermann murmurs under his breath.

At least Newt slips into a frown at that, perhaps aware that he’s being insensitive. “Yeah, but imagine boarding school where you get to go home with the hottest boy in school at the end of the week.”

Hermann snorts in response. It’s true that Newt is the pinnacle of attractive to Hermann, but he would never be what’s considered the hottest boy anywhere.

“I’m offended,” Newt adds. “I’m glad I get to sleep in a separate bed tonight.” His head disappears and Hermann hears every creaking spring of the mattress as he shifts.

After forty five minutes of the creaking bed overhead, Hermann’s about to ask for a second room. They both wash up after Newt’s initial period of exploration and share a perfunctory goodnight kiss before Newt climbs back up the ladder to his bed. (And another not so perfunctory kiss when they both seem discontent with something so polite.) Now, Newt’s evidently been tossing and turning half the night.

“Newton,” Hermann says into the darkness.

“Herms?”

“Can you please just come down here?” he asks, already shifting towards the wall.

“D’you miss me?”

Actually, Hermann finds the idea of having a bed to himself increasingly pleasant. He can prop up his leg how he likes, after all, but he doesn’t think Newt is handling the sleeping arrangement well.

He’s just closed his eyes when he hears the creaking of Newt on the ladder; he hasn’t even had to answer for Newt to climb down.

“Because I missed you,” Newt answers himself softly, slipping into the bed beside Hermann. It’s very tight with both of them, but not drastically different than how they slept before they demanded a shared room.

“Wanted some bony elbows in your bed?”

“Oh, you read my mind.” Newt chuckles and snuggles closer, with an arm slung around Hermann. It’s tight, but it’s oddly comfortable.

“Do you see why I disliked the bunk beds?”

Newt doesn’t answer with his words, but Hermann does feel Newt shake his head against his shoulder. He can imagine the exact cheeky smile painted across Newt’s face.

“Tomorrow,” Hermann begins, “we’re going to ask if they have different accommodations for couples and if it’s possible to be moved. If not, you’re going to have to learn how to sleep on the bunk bed.”

“You wouldn’t make me sleep alone.”

“I would.” Hermann wouldn’t and he knows it, but that doesn’t mean he’ll ever admit to it. “It’s just very cold here,” Hermann lies, “so it’s better to have someone else in the bed for the first night. While I’m adjusting.”

“Mhm. Not like they gave us blankets designed for subzero temperatures or anything.”

Hermann feels Newt press a kiss to his shoulder, through the fabric of his (formerly Newt’s) t-shirt. 

“I have a hard time regulating my body temperature,” Hermann states coolly and tries not to jump out of his skin when Newt slides a hand up his shirt and rests it on his stomach. It’s grounding and familiar. He feels pleasantly warm, even if the bed is too cramped.

“Yeah,” Newt answers sleepily, “and it is kinda homophobic that they gave us two beds when we really,” he pauses to yawn, “we just need the one. Forever.”

“Forever, yes,” Hermann repeats. It’s a meaningless word, thrown out casually in the way Newt throws out most of his words, but it comforts Hermann. Forever won’t be bad, even if the bastards at the Anchorage Shatterdome don’t manage to find them a larger bed for the rest of the week. 


End file.
